LANSING – A bill that Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville says would restructure the way the film industry could hire or be paid for certain workers is on the Senate agenda for Wednesday, though it first must clear the Senate Economic Development Committee in the morning.

The bill, SB 1103 , would delete a provision prohibiting funding after September 30, 2017, under the Film and Digital Media Production Assistance Program, as well as revise the funding caps for state-certified qualified production expenditures after December 31, 2014, according to a Senate Fiscal Agency analysis.

It would also delete a $2 million per-employee limit in the definition of a qualified personnel expenditure (compensation to nonresident above-the-line personnel), as well as delete provisions limiting payments and compensation to 10 percent of certain expenditures for all producers of a qualified production living in Michigan, and to 5 percent of those expenditures for all producers who are not Michigan residents, among other provisions.

“I don’t think there are very many things that are done in Michigan, as far as the budget goes, that gets more attention around the world than the film incentive program,” Richardville said Tuesday at a separate event about Michigan International Speedway (see separate story). “When you buy a commercial, it lasts for 30 to 60 seconds and then it’s over. When you make a movie, it just keeps going. It gets distribution through the theaters around the country, not just the targeted markets.”

Richardville said the bill is important because it also generates excitement among young people, as well as gives people careers instead of quick jobs.

“Young people like being around it,” he said. “It makes Michigan seem more hip to the rest of the world. There are certain tangibles that prove this is a great (return on investment) for taxpayer dollars, but it’s also an excitement generator that comes to our young people year-round.”

He said the bill includes some language that may also help in post-production, which could lead to more work in other industries and technologies as well.

The bill is expected to go to final passage, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Floor Leader Arlan Meekhof (R-West Olive) confirmed.

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